Quick changeover method and apparatus for calender apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for rapid exchanging of calender rollers 350,352 for a calendering apparatus 302 is disclosed. The apparatus 302 has two or more generally cylindrical calender rollers 350,352 which are clamped and supported at each end by a rotatable support 314,316. A pair of the supports 314,316 are axially aligned and movable relative to the other axially aligned support. The method of exchanging rollers 350,352 includes the step of unclamping a roller 350 or 352 by increasing the spacing between the first and second rotatable supports 314,316, removing the roller 350,352, and clamping a different calender roller 350,352 between the first and second supports 314,316 by decreasing the spacing between them and engaging the respective ends of the different roller 350,352 with the first and second supports 314,316. This apparatus and method greatly facilitates rapid calender roller changeover and is particularly useful in the tire building art.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of exchanging a calender roller of a calender apparatus with a different calender roller, the apparatus having axially aligned first and second rotatable supports between which the calender roller is rotatably clamped, the method comprising the steps of: unclamping the roller by increasing the spacing between the first and second rotatable supports;   removing the roller;   moving a different calender roller into position between the first and second supports;   clamping the different calender roller between the first and second supports by decreasing the spacing between the first and second supports and engaging the respective ends of the different roller with the first and second supports; and   controlling the magnitude of the clamping force exerted on the different roller, the clamping force being controlled by providing mating conical surfaces on the rollers and first and second supports and by controlling the spacing between the first and second supports after their engagement with the different roller.   
     
     
       2. A method of exchanging a plurality of calender rollers with different rollers in a calendering system having a plurality of calendering apparati, more than one calendering apparatus having at least one calender roller that is replaced by a different roller and having axially aligned first and second supports between which a calender roller to be exchanged is clamped, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a staging area containing a plurality of different rollers to be exchanged for the plurality of calender rollers to be exchanged in the calendering system;   transporting the plurality of different rollers with a transfer mechanism to the calendering system at one time;   grasping the rollers to be exchanged in the transfer mechanism;   unclamping the rollers to be exchanged from their first and second respective supports;   indexing the transfer mechanisms;   clamping the different rollers between respective first and second supports of each calender apparatus; and   with the transfer mechanism, transporting the grasped rollers to an area away from the calendering apparati.   
     
     
       3. A calendering apparatus for forming elastomeric components, the apparatus comprising: a frame, the frame having first and second ends, the second end being slidably movable relative to the first end;   at least two generally cylindrical rollers, each cylindrical roller being hollow and having a first and second ends, the first and second ends being conically tapered;   a means for clamping and supporting the calender rollers at their first and second ends, the calender rollers being rotatably supported and positioned adjacent one another with their respective axes parallel to one another, the clamping and supporting means being movable in the axial direction of the rollers to vary the clamping force; and   a means for rotating at least one of the rotatable clamping and supporting means.   
     
     
       4. The calendering apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for clamping and supporting the ends of the roller are rotatable hubs having conical surfaces that mate with the conical ends of the rollers. 
     
     
       5. The calendering apparatus of claim 4 wherein the hubs are conically tapered at an angle of at least 6°. 
     
     
       6. The calendering apparatus of claim 4 wherein the roller ends are conically tapered at an angle of at least 6°.